Island News

Parents know that travelling with kids can be a mixture of incredible joy with a dose of frustration and anxiety. So many things need to go right to make family trips as relaxing and nourishing as they can be. And most parents won’t be satisfied with a little peace and quiet (although that’s pretty great). It’s also important to them to feel that their children are learning something and building wonderful memories.

Quadra Island is the perfect spot for a family getaway filled with adventure and learning, and Taku Resort & Marina is the ideal place to call home while you’re away.

The greatest thing about a Quadra Island vacation is that the adventure and learning happen at the same time! Every parent is on a quest, especially on vacation, to help their children learn about the world in ways that don’t feel like learning. The best learning is the most fun, the kind where the kids have such a good time they never guess they’re also learning something! Quadra Island is utterly packed with adventurous learning opportunities.

Here are some of our top recommendations:

1] Exploring the plant and animal life, especially marine life. If you’ve ever watched a child observing a shallow pool of starfish for the first time, you’re sure to see the wonder of discovery in their eyes.

2] Snorkelling off Quadra Island’s beaches. Especially for older kids, this is a blissful treat. Strap on the snorkel and slip into a light wetsuit and you’ve bought yourself hours of guaranteed family fun. It’s also a great way to start a discussion about sustainability.

4] First Nations’ culture trek. See art created and inspired by Canada’s founding peoples.

We know it’s also parents’ top priority to keep their kids safe. Quadra Island is a very safe environment, so you can breathe freely. Just be careful around the water – certain currents can be challenging even for the strongest swimmers – and everyone can play to their hearts content in safety and security. Your only concern will be remembering the sunscreen.

This is just a small sampler of ideas. Take a read through some of our other blog posts to discover more opportunities for family adventure. Or better yet, come visit us to see for yourself!

The scuba diving opportunities around Quadra Island are considered some of the best in the world. Every scuba diver dreams of crystal clear water, and Quadra Island is surrounded by it. But there’s no point in having clear water unless there’s something to look at, so it’s a good thing we’ve also got an amazing wealth of marine life to discover. The strong currents swirling around Quadra as they pass between the mainland and Vancouver Island carry an abundance of oxygen and nutrients, guaranteeing thrilling displays of underwater creatures. Visiting divers make sure not to miss three fascinating and challenging dives off Quadra’s shores: the wreck of the HMCS Columbia, Steep Island and Richmond Reef. Underwater explorers love a good shipwreck, and the 366-foot HMCS Columbia, a former navy destroyer, is hard to beat. She rests off the west coast of Quadra, close to Maud Island. Thankfully, there’s no tragic story for the Columbia – she went down peacefully after many years of service, and now acts as an artificial reef. Just off Quadra Island’s southwest coast, you’ll find the tiny island of Steep. Many divers proclaim it to be a highlight of their life-long diving roster. For an unforgettable spectacle of colour and an astonishing gaze into the diversity of life, try a dive off the northern tip toward the close of an ebb tide. Don’t forget to take your underwater camera! Divers seeking a challenge flock to Richmond Reef. It’s off Quadra’s west coast, accessible from Quathiaski Cove. This can be an especially tricky dive, and it’s best to go with a local guide. But with safety precautions taken care of, it will be well worth the journey. For those who love the water but love it most when they’re close to the surface, there’s endless fun to be had snorkelling off Quadra’s beaches. The water’s chilly, so you’ll probably need a light wetsuit. Make sure also to always be cautious of tidal currents.

Many a wise salmon fisherman (and fisherwoman) speaks of the legendary days of angling in the waters around Quadra Island and off nearby Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Some of the most enormous salmon ever to grace a West Coast fishing boat have been caught near Quadra. For a good long time, the area was known as the “Salmon Capital of the World.”

As in so many places, the fish stocks aren’t hitting quite the same peaks as in the most bountiful days, but careful management of the fisheries keeps much of the fishing glory alive today, and the coastal waters still teem with salmon. We’ll be happy to recommend a charter fishing expedition so you can be sure you’re heading straight out to the best catches.

You can also head out on your own with a big chance of success. Anglers have great luck at Quathiaski Cove, near the dock for the Quadra—Campbell River ferry. There’s also action off Cape Mudge, Copper Bluffs and April Point, and near Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park, which offers a public boat ramp. There’s also wonderful inland freshwater fishing on Quadra at Village Bay, Mine Lake and Main Lake.

Some people load up their fishing gear simply for the love of sport or the prospect of a delicious meal of salmon. Some fishermen also have a deep respect and admiration for the sleek salmon and their BC habitat. Those who are interested can make a free visit in July and August to the Quadra Salmon Eco-Centre to learn more about salmon and salmon watersheds. You can also find information on the best ways to protect salmon for future generations. Kids love the hands-on activities and daily fish feeding.

Congratulations to Helen Baker! Helen has won the one night in the Studio Suite.

Thank you to everyone who participated by coming by our booth (rain or shine) and leaving wonderful comments on our Blog and our Facebook page. Keep checking back for our last minute summer specials.

Cheers!

Elizabeth

Rio Tinto Dragon Boat Festival Draw

Win a night in a Studio Suite.

You can enter this draw THREE times by doing the following:

1. Come visit us at our booth at the 24th annual dragon boat festival and fill out a ballot to win. 2. Like us on Facebook and leave us a comment about why you think you would like a holiday to Taku. 3. Leave a comment below this Blog entry and again tell us why you would like a holiday to Taku.

The winner of this draw can redeem their night in a Studio suite during the months of September to June and it expires June 2014. This stay is based on availability and is based on double occupancy.

Quadra Island is home to more than 200 km of hiking trails, and the network continues to expand. There’s trails for everyone, from the most leisurely stroller to the committed hiking enthusiast. Volunteers from the island carefully tend to the trails, so they’re in wonderful condition for all. You can explore the shorelines, plunge into the peaceful forest, or wake up your calves with a trek up the Chinese Mountains or to the summit of Mount Seymour. When you reach the high points, you’ll have earned the unforgettable views across the Discovery Islands and on to the Coast Mountains and Vancouver Island.

Our favourite is a trip along the old logging routes and forest trails to see the giant trees around Stamberg Lake in Main Lake Provincial Park. You can have your lunch at the base of a Douglas Fir or Western Red Cedar, some of which are up to 5.5 meters (16 feet) around!

Hikers always love the trip along the Cape Mudge shoreline to check out the 100-year-old Cape Mudge lighthouse. You need to be extra careful on this trip, though, because weather and tide conditions can make the journey tricky. If you’re in the mood for some serene and beautiful inland water, there are great hikes to Morte Lake, Nugedzi Lake and Newton Lake.

There are a lot more trails than we can mention here, and you’re never far away from one when you stay at Taku Resort. You’ll just have to come see them for yourself. We’ve got a proposal for the most ambitious hikers. Wouldn’t it be a great challenge to hike all 200 km of trails? It might take a few trips, but you’ll get to know the island so well that you’ll feel like it’s part of you.

Pick up a Quadra Island hiking trails map published by the Quadra Island Trails Committee, and you’ll be good to go!